


Running on Empty

by JasnNCarly



Series: Claudia and Jason [5]
Category: General Hospital
Genre: F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-06
Updated: 2010-07-06
Packaged: 2020-05-19 05:53:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19350829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: This story follows the Jaudia Saga I have in progress.





	Running on Empty

**July 2000**  
  
“You telling me I’m the only woman you’ve ever known who runs towards trouble rather than away from it?”  
  
“No,” Blue eyes set thoughtfully out the window, his heart easily exposed in his whisper, “You’re not the only one.”  
  
At times like this, Claudia realized she was emotionally revealed to her perfect stranger – he was the closed the book, holding onto something he assumed she would never understand.  
  
“Don’t suppose you still talk to this other woman, do you?”  
  
Like a switch had been flipped, he leaned back against the wall and revealed a playful smile, “You asking for monogamy all the sudden?”  
  
She would never admit it, but this was one of the few times she was disappointed in his reaction to her. While he looked like a damn painting with his statuesque features clothed in only blue jeans, Claudia could find little to be excited about.   
  
No matter how she tried to connect, he was completely detached – meaning she should’ve been.  
  
~*~  
  
 **Present Day**  
  
When Johnny had left her side momentarily, Claudia ignored it as anything but an opportunity.  
  
Checking her surroundings, finding the hall empty, her high heel boots clicked against the tile floor – leading her straight to his bed side.  
  
Suddenly, she felt too real – too human – too fragile.  
  
A sob escaped her involuntarily as she saw the wound on his chest, discredited only by the faint sound of his heart monitor somewhere in the background.  
  
She crossed her arms across her chest, forcing her eyes to look anywhere but at him, and felt her lips quivering out of control, catching bitter tears in their movement.  
  
 _“I don’t want this to end badly.”_  
  
Claudia could remember his words, still forced herself to swallow them as an enemy’s command as she stood there, and released a hiss from deep in her throat, “I hate you.”  
  
When he said nothing in response, it almost felt like old times.   
  
Inhaled deep breath and release, she returned her ebony eyes to his and the whole scene flashed rapidly in her mind once more. The sound of shots, the feeling of wind leaving her body, and sight of his body lying beside hers – knowing what he had done.  
  
“…you had no right to save me.” Her statement did nothing to move him, fueling her frustration. Placing a hand on the pillow under his head, she formed the other to the fist and rested it against his most visible wound, “I had no problem with it being me, Jason. I was ready for it. And you had no right to take this for me.”  
  
Claudia could feel the breath leaving her body again; each one a struggle as she stared at him in a helpless state – each one a wish they had never met – each one certain life would’ve been easier had they never met.  
  
Her head became heavy, falling to his shoulder, as her emotions became too much – revealing themselves as whispers in his ear, “Why didn’t you just let me die? Why couldn’t you just stop saving me, Jason?”  
  
~*~  
 **  
June 2000**  
  
“Sometimes life is better when you don’t live so much of it.”  
  
Wrinkling his brow, Jason continued to  _ **try**_  and enjoy the sights around him as daylight had been dominated by a lot of her nonsense, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever her.”  
  
“It is not!” Slapping his shoulder, desperate for his attention, she jumped onto a nearby ledge and blocked his viewing of a historical building, “Think about it. Have you ever met someone unhappier than an old person who’s had a shitty life?”  
  
“Would you move your ass? I’m trying to see something.”  
  
She rolled her eyes, refusing to move, and placed her hands defiantly on her hips.  
  
Shoving the map into his back pocket, he grabbed her hips and pulled her body in one swift movement to his own. His eyes stared at nothing but her as her loud laughter filled the air, always invigorated by and unafraid of his actions. Capturing her face in his hands, he lost himself in a breathless kiss with her.  
  
She responded easily, arms wrapped around his neck and body pressing passionately into his.   
  
Without meaning to do so, he proved to the two of them that sometimes life gets better with a little living.  
  
~*~  
  
 **Present Day**  
  
He could feel hot air against his neck, hear a voice with words unclear, as he took a breath deep into his lungs – only to feel a sharp pain in his chest which sent his eyes flying open.  
  
Fluorescent lights burned above him, further indicating the pain was real, and every movement was stiff – making him aware something was very wrong.  
  
Suddenly, recognize the small cries in his ear, it all registered in his memory.  
  
He had done it; he stopped Sonny from shooting her.  
  
Unsure of how to confront the truth, uncertain if he wanted to speak to her at all, he saw her fist seated on his chest and checked it against the tears he felt sliding along his skin.  
  
Impulsively, he brought his hand to her fist and eased it out of its hold until it lied flat against the wound.  _Claudia…_  
  
Stunned, she stood straight and met his eyes with her own.  
  
He wanted to tell her he knew this would happen, question her on why she did not just listen to him in the first place, but he had danced like this before – he knew the beat would never change.  
  
Claudia remained awkward, silent in self doubt and apology.  
  
Jason signaled for her to lean down, and she obliged uncertain.  
  
His fingertips caressed her tears away, worsening them in their actions, as he tried to speak without a word.  
  
A whimper left her lips before she pressed her mouth to his, trying to carry on the conversation and let him know her darkest secret.  
  
She was never allowed to love anyone or anything in her life. But, if she had, it would’ve been him.


End file.
